Broncos need to run table Lard

Douglas LeeDec 11, 2012 8:13 AM

Good Morning, Broncos fans! Well, we probably should have seen this one coming.

Entering last night's game, New England's three losses were by a combined four points, with five of their nine wins coming by more than three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Texans had been blown out by Green Bay in their one loss, and in November had barely squeaked by the Bears, Jaguars, and Lions. Houston had won four blowouts, but none since Week 7.

We're admittedly using hindsight here, but what happened last night doesn't seem so shocking when framed by those facts - especially considering that the game took place in Foxboro, in the cold.

New England (10-3) jumped all over Houston (11-2) with three touchdowns on their first three drives, and things never got closer in a 42-14 rout which made the Texans look like frauds, and the Patriots like prohibitive SB favorites.

Houston still maintains a one-game lead over New England and Denver in the AFC standings, and a two-game advantage over Indy in the AFCS, but the rest of their schedule could easily drop them out of both positions. They host the upstart Colts on Sunday, the Vikings a week later, and then head to the House Peyton Built to close out their regular season. Indy now has multiple paths to the AFCS title, and now has a chance to take it outright, as unlikely as that may seem.

The Broncos now have to hope the Niners can knock off the Pats on Sunday night, but how do you like the chances of a team led by a QB making his fifth career start against Bill Belichick & Co. in Foxboro? Once New England dispatches San Francisco, a trip to Jacksonville and a home game against the Dolphins will be cakewalks.

Indeed, the AFC path to the Super Bowl now appears headed through New England, unless the Texans can somehow manage to win out.

This makes it all the more imperative that Denver gain the number-two seed and a first-round bye, so that they can put off a return trip to Foxboro until the AFC title game, and give someone else a crack at taking out the Patriots in the divisional round.

It's been apparent for some time now that the Broncos needed to run the table in order to gain a bye, and it's now become imperative. Thirteen is their magic number, because at twelve wins, they could potentially lose tiebreakers to everyone and end up as the AFC's four seed. Unlikely, but a win Sunday would ensure they're at least the three.

Thankfully, they're heading to Baltimore under the most favorable circumstances they'll ever have faced there, with the Ravens defense devastated by injuries, and the offense in flux with the firing of Cam Cameron.

Broncos/Ravens

The players don't want to talk about playoff seeding, which is fine by us - we'll do more than enough of that to spread around over the coming weeks.

D.J. Williams says he's enjoying playing in the defense of Jack Del Rio, whom he figured would "weed (D.J.) in" as long as he was in shape. In a related note, personal marijuana use is now legal in Colorado, unless you're an NFLer.

Even Bill Romanowski has to admit now that dumping the UT™ for PMFM was the correct way to go, and he says that he, like the rest of us, can't take his eyes off Von Miller during Broncos games.

Nobody here is surprised to see how much the Broncos have used three-wide packages this season, right?

Baltimore no longer fields a dominant run defense, but they certainly have some offensive weapons which could match up well with Denver's defense.

Although Cameron is credited with having guided QB Joe Flacco's early development, the relationship between the two has been strained for more than two years, with Flacco publicly lobbying to play more no-huddle. Along those lines, Mike Tanier says Cameron's offense had gone stale over the last few years, and that this was as good a time as any to make the change.

It's presumed that having Jim Caldwell take over the offense means Baltimore will indeed employ more of a hurry-up look, which Caldwell is of course quite familiar with from his time in Indy with Peyton Manning.

News

An eyewitness says Jerry Brown called out for help following the accident that killed him, but that she had to convince Josh Brent to aid the friend he claims to have cared so deeply for.

As they currently stand, the Chiefs would be picking first in the 2013 Draft, with the Jags second, and Raiders third, although KC travels to Oakland this week for a game which could alter that order.

There's a sense in Oakland that punter Shane Lechler may not be back after his contract runs out this year, what with the team's newfound fiscal sensibility - which would seem to preclude paying a punter $4M, no matter how great he may be.

The LOLJets are so desperate for offensive talent that they're reportedly considering bringing back Braylon Edwards, who only last week referred to their brass as a bunch of "idiots."

Matt Bowen breaks down the Colts pick-six by old friend Cassius Vaughn against Jake Locker, and he thinks the read option may be a keeper, thanks to the skill sets of Cam Newton, RG3, Colin Kaepernick, and Russell Wilson.

Were you surprised by the outcome of last night's Pats/Texans showdown?

Yes

No

Doug is IAOFM’s resident newsman and spelling czar. Follow him on Twitter @IAOFM

I know there is no information to fully support this, but with my minimal knowledge of the game, I am 100% certain that somehow Lechler would be better if he wasn't on the Raiders, like everyone else

Posted by GreasyQtip on 2012-12-11 19:01:08

I wish people would quit saying the Lechler is such a good punter - he's been bad this year, and it should be pointed out (though he had a prety good game against Denver, in part due to Holliday's mistakes).

This year Lechler is 21st in net average (38.3), with 8 touchbacks and 16 punts downed inside the 20.To compare, Britton Colquitt is 2nd in net average (42.8), with only 4 touchbacks and 24 punts downed inside the 20.

Posted by billyricky on 2012-12-11 18:51:04

Actually, it was a 6-point loss to Houston (same as Atlanta) and a 10-point loss to NE.

Posted by billyricky on 2012-12-11 18:32:34

I was kinda wondering why she didn't do something, if it was such an issue.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 17:53:43

And it's hard to run on 'em, so Peyton should just turn and throw at 'em. I would love to see us go fast no-huddle against their fast no-huddle. Broncos 56, Pats 48.

Posted by iamafreeman on 2012-12-11 17:36:32

This news from the Dallas witness means no one even tried to perform CPR on a man who didn't die instantly

CPR has good success rates and especially when aided by TLC everyone here is a bit at fault I expect any American to give me cpr if I get hit and am lying there and I would do the same without thought

Posted by GreasyQtip on 2012-12-11 17:09:13

Regarding playing New England--it's like mama always says: "son, you can't run from 'em, so you might as well turn around and punch 'em as hard as you can in the balls and see what happens."

Posted by TJ Johnson on 2012-12-11 15:27:47

"Want to go on ESPN with me?"

A R, as long as we aren't helping Skip Bayless with his schitck.

Posted by Bob on 2012-12-11 15:21:27

IIRC Kuper was out during the first game against the Pats as well. I think RG, CB, and MLB are the three biggest areas of improvement over the course of the season, with running back being the biggest area of regression. Although even there I'm seeing some cuase for optimism in the way that Moreno has been running the ball. He's not a workhorse back by any stretch of the imagination, but he's been a serviceable starter and can run effectively enough that the defense can't simply sell out on the pass.

In summary, I REALLY like the Bronco's chances against the Patriots if given a chance at a rematch. This isn't the same team that lost to the Pats back in week 3. That doesn't mean that they're necessarily favorites against the Pats, I'm just saying that the Broncos are playing well enough right now that they can hang with any team in the league IMO (and IMO that applies to Houston and Atlanta too).

Posted by Hercules_Rockefeller on 2012-12-11 14:15:32

well I don't see us going deep or beating the Pats with Foxball. IMHO.

Posted by colorado_kitten on 2012-12-11 14:13:58

A R, I'll drink to that.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 14:09:21

In general it has to do with rushing the QB, I thought. I don't have facts to back this up, but I'm under the impression that Brady's effectiveness goes down (more than average) once he's been hit a couple of times.

Posted by tunesmith on 2012-12-11 14:05:04

"I know I may be talking in cliches"

Want to go on ESPN with me?

Posted by A R on 2012-12-11 14:03:27

I wonder if those car services would be more popular if they also supplied a sober driver to drive the player's car home (tailing the first car)?

Posted by tunesmith on 2012-12-11 14:01:48

I think the question to be asking is not just what has New England done to adjust throughout the season but to look at past seasons and ask this:

During the Bill Belichick era, in the years in which New England failed to make it to the Super Bowl, what did their opponents do to counteract the strengths the Patriots had?

We know that Belichick is a coach who always wants to know what he can do to make his team better, regardless of how the team finished its season the previous year. So what have other coaches done to overcome that? Were there certain factors Belichick just couldn't overcome? Did other teams figure out ways to counter what the Patriots did? Or was it just the opposition pulled out plays that the Patriots truly weren't expecting?

It's also worth looking at the years in which the Patriots went to the Super Bowl and what factors could have made the outcome different. For example, last year against the Ravens, the Patriots could have lost the game had Lee Evans done a better job securing the ball so a defensive back didn't just simply have to tap the ball out of his hands.

I missed the game last night but I do wonder if that game really does reflect how good the Pats are or if the Texans really are overrated. We've seen the Patriots lose to the Arizona Cardinals, who were the ultimate paper tiger in the first few games of the season. How do the Pats then compare to the Pats now? Are they really that much better? Did certain breaks just happen to go the Pats' way last night that didn't go their way back then? Were there breaks that went Arizona's way, that didn't go Houston's way?

I know I may be talking in cliches but we all know football is a complex sport and so many factors can come into play. As far as it concerns the Broncos, the best thing they can do is take care of the things they can control and not worry about what other teams are doing. Regardless of who gets higher seeds or home field, we have to remember there is no such thing as an easy path to the Super Bowl.

And let's not forget that the first time the Broncos won the Super Bowl, they had to do it the hard way, going on the road to face two very good teams and then having to overcome another very good team... and in the case of that final team, the Packers, it was a team that was heavily favored to win the Super Bowl.

So let's worry less about what seeding the Broncos get and concern ourselves more with this: What are the things the Broncos will need to do to make a deep playoff run, whether those things are in general or are in regards to specific teams they may face?

Posted by Bob on 2012-12-11 13:35:29

That's a heckuva point you made, Truman. That might be the biggest change of all.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 13:30:25

i cant stand new england. but i loathe their fanbase. i cant think of a fanbase i like less than new englands. im pretty sure i hate the patriots fans as much as i hate the oakland raiders.

Posted by Troy Fairclough on 2012-12-11 13:10:12

A R, then we need to send you to the Skip Bayless School of Mindless Rambling.

Ok. I'm sorry. That was out of line.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 12:49:00

I think we don't deserve a SB if we can't avenge our losses to either the Texans or the Pats. They both had us when we were gelling and I think we could be either one, anywhere. Did it really matter that we were home when Houston whipped us? Also, we only lost by six in NE.

Just me or does NE get away with quite a bit of defensive PI?

Posted by Joshua Graham on 2012-12-11 12:40:56

Drunk driving really makes me upset. But It's twice as bad when an NFL player does it. With the service provided they really have no excuse. I hope he does time.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2012-12-11 12:33:31

To be on ESPN, I'd have to find a way to take ten minutes to say "if the Patriots lose in the divisional round". Can't do it.

Posted by A R on 2012-12-11 12:32:20

John Tomasik Mays won't be in - which to me was the biggest factor. They just kept picking on him the entire game and wouldn't allow us to substitute.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2012-12-11 12:31:25

"Perhaps I've grown weary of hearing on the news in my state how certain of these DUI convicted fools are on their ninth, tenth or higher offense and still posing a danger to everyone on the road."

In cases like this, I'm all in favor of caning. Any crime of stupidity, really, like teenage vandals causing thousands of dollars damage. Maybe the bamboo rod can beat some sense into them.

Not sure if this was posted here earlier, but heard on the radio on my drive in this morning that it was requested of ESPN that they back off on the coverage of the Ultimate Teammate. I believe Skip Bayless is now on suicide watch.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 12:16:07

I knew AR was a celeb. With that kind of insight, he must be with ESPN or the government!

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 12:14:07

Having been in an accident myself where a family member was seriously injured all due to some drunkard on her way to the liquor store I don't have much in the way of sympathy for such stupidity.

Especially given all the means a professional athlete has of avoiding this problem.

Perhaps I've grown weary of hearing on the news in my state how certain of these DUI convicted fools are on their ninth, tenth or higher offense and still posing a danger to everyone on the road.

Posted by atomiccityblues on 2012-12-11 12:12:45

If the Patriots lose the divisional round.

Posted by A R on 2012-12-11 12:05:24

I guess the question remains is what will the Broncos do different if they meet in the playoffs, regardless of where that game occurs? What has changed that makes it different than the first game?

-JD, er, DJ Williams is back.-Carter/Harris are 'new' successes at CB.-Raheem the Dream has stepped it up.-McGahee's out.-More play time experience for both offense and defense. (same can be said about the Patsies)-Gronkowski's out (Patsies).

Anything else I missed?

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 11:35:43

They look like a juggernaut again but personally I am tired of New England,and wouldn't mind the Broncos actually having a chance at revenge against them. Obviously, I'd prefer that chance come in Denver rather than Foxboro, and would prefer that at least be the Champ game instead of the game before. But I ain't afraid of the Patriots, and think you want to beat the best to be the best.

Posted by underdog on 2012-12-11 11:21:28

I wasn't surprised because I watch all the Pats games (daughter is a Pats' fan - long story, but I failed her, since Broncos are only her 2nd team). The Patriots have been getting better at defense as the season progressed, and Brady is still Brady+ Schaub is still Schaub. Houston is not a come from behind team, and once they got behind, their run game was taken away from them. Also Houston's defense is not as good as earlier in the season when the Broncos played them due to injuries to key starters and the loss of Brian Cushing for the year.

As for Mr. Brent, I have no sympathy for him, having been the victim of a drink driver in my mid-twenties that caused me to have three surgeries and a 60% loss of hearing in my right ear. I don't really care about what he did or did not do at the scene. His biggest mistake, lack of judgement, what have you, was climbing behind the wheel of his car when he was drunk despite the fact he had the option to use an NFL paid car service to deliver him and his passenger and fellow teammate home safely.

If Brent or Mr. Brown had done what they were supposed to do and use that car service, we wouldn't be talking about the Cowboys other than as an overrated football team.

Posted by Steven Searls on 2012-12-11 11:20:34

Would be fun... but Atlanta ain't making it to the big game.

Matty Ice doesn't have the balls for it. Nor does the rest of that team.

Posted by aLuffabo on 2012-12-11 10:57:23

There are two of scenarios, depending on whether we're the 4th seed or the 2nd / 3rd seed (both scenarios presume NE is the # 1 seed and that the Broncos win their wild card / divisional playoff games).

If they're the #4 seed the #3 seed would have to lose to the #6 seed in the wild card round, and then the #6 seed would have to travel to and beat NE in the divisional round. This would create a #6 seed at Denver AFC Championship game in Denver. This obviously quite unlikely; if we're the 4th seed in the playoffs we'll likely be traveling to NE in the divisional round

If they're the #2 or #3 seed, the #4 seed (presumably Baltimore) would have to travel to NE in the divisional round. As far as I can tell the #3 seed will never meet the #1 seed in the divisional round, because there will aways be a lower seed heading into the divisional round (either the #4 or #5 seed, depending on the result of the other wild card game). Denver would travel to Houston in the divisional round and Baltimore would have to beat NE in NE. This is a bit more realistic than the #6 seed beating NE, and even if it doesn't happen, at least we delay the trip to NE until the championship game.

Posted by Hercules_Rockefeller on 2012-12-11 10:54:31

That option was discussed on 104.3 The Fan in Denver this morning. The problem with that scenario is the Broncos would more than likely still have to go to New England for the AFC Championship Game, as well as in all likelihood win a game on the road in the AFC Divisional round.

Posted by RSH, Esq. on 2012-12-11 10:44:38

Is it possible for the Broncos to enter as a lesser-seed and not have to go through Foxboro in the post-season?

Posted by John Tomasik on 2012-12-11 10:31:41

I can understand an emotional response at the time, but watch the video of her later. I think she doesnt understand what shock is. Also, I've never seen any report that Brent is a hero. Seems to be a bit of piling on to say he is not a hero when thats not really a story line that has appeared anyway....

Posted by Rhett Rothberg on 2012-12-11 10:00:11

Talk about the stars not aligning for you, youre a qb-starved team lined up for the top pick in the draft and nobodys there. Almost feel bad for em... BwaaaHaaa!!!

Posted by pubkeeper on 2012-12-11 09:40:55

When Houston's defense gave up a combined 68 points to Detroit and Jacksonville, it was apparent they had some major issues stopping people. Once they failed to come up with the New England turnover to open the game and then gave away the ball themselves on the following drive, I essentially stopped watching. My friend told me Kubiak basically waved the white flag with seven minutes left by running three times and punting the ball away and the Patriots responded with the no-huddle. Not sure if that's accurate, but it's about what I would expect.

Posted by Yahmule on 2012-12-11 09:35:44

Thanks for the fat lard today Doug. OK, since you asked, I thought about it, and I actually like the Niners chances Sunday slightly more than I liked the Cards chances in Foxboro earlier this year!

Posted by MississippiMudWalk on 2012-12-11 09:20:43

I didn't have a problem with anything she said. She acknowledged Brent might have been in shock, but she also claims to have seen an injured man trapped in a burning car desperately calling out for help. If that's true, I can understand an emotional response.

Posted by Yahmule on 2012-12-11 09:17:44

Lets also hope for a fast start..if they can get the game plan right...

Posted by denverkewl on 2012-12-11 09:04:25

Not a Josh Brent apologist, but if your intoxicated and just had a major accident, you're not going to be in a normal frame of mind. Plenty of things to pile on Brent for, but do so in a reasonable manner. I read that article and come away with a poor opinion of that eyewitness...

Posted by Rhett Rothberg on 2012-12-11 08:59:01

I think I'm ready for a revenge tour - NE, Hou, Atl. Why not - the season has exceeded all I've hoped for might as well finish with a flourish!

Posted by yahoo-2NXBAHQCS55SJS3XR4SAFBAFNU on 2012-12-11 08:48:54

It would be really super if Denver had a statement game against Baltimore like the Pats had against Houston...